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Post by reamsofverse on Oct 8, 2009 17:38:17 GMT
Probably one for the older fans on here this one but with Huddersfield visiting us next week I just wondered where the pitch was when we played them in that memorable 7-6 win compaired to where it is now.
As daft as that sounds what I mean is obviously down the years the stadium has been restructured and also closed too and I recall walking around the pitch in an empty stadium in the mid 80's and being blown away by the huge East bank.
Now from what I remember the East bank was gigantic and if it was still there today I would imagine that it the pitch would be 20/30 yards over towards where the West Stand is so was the old West stand basically in todays car park?
Im just interested to know that if it was Saturday, December 21, 1957 today, where would the pitch be situated in comparison to where it is now?
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Post by reddyfreddy on Oct 8, 2009 18:04:28 GMT
The pitch has never moved.
The area as you see it now is within inches of what it was certainly in the very early sixties.
There used to be railings about 3' high all around and the terrace was already about 2' above pitch level (like now really). I like most kids would stand "next to the pitch" generally behind the goals against the curved railing and top of these was only waist high when you stood on tip toe even for little lads as we were 10 - 11 y.o. kids. So I know very well the pitch hasn't moved at all.
Even where the old East Stand stood the line of the cinder track to the pitch now is more or less the same inch for inch from years back. I'm sure Valleyviper and optimist and a few other lads on here will remember the railings all around the pitch back then!
That old East Stand or CAFE as it was affectionately labelled was erected in 1932 I think it was. The Glikstens bought it from Aldershot Military Parade Ground for £300 and re-erected it with the thousands of wooden flip-up seats that lasted till the eighties. So that never moved...even when the fuckin' Luftwaffe tried it!
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Post by reamsofverse on Oct 8, 2009 18:21:29 GMT
Thanks for the insight reddyfreddy, im surprised about the old East terrace though, it looked huge to me and I thought that the new east stand wouldn't have come nowhere near filling the hole width wise. I think there are houses at the back of the East stand, were they there when it was the East terrace because if they were as I said before I thought that the terrace would occupy 20/30 yards of the current pitch.
I notice that you refer the terrace as the cafe or east stand, to be honest I don't remember any other covered stand there, I thought it went from the terrace straight to how it looks today.
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Post by MurciaAl on Oct 8, 2009 20:34:10 GMT
The East terrace was bloody massive, I was signed by Eddie Firmani on schoolboy forms and the barsteward coaches made us run up and down the isles most training nights. Scary coming down I tell you, was surprised there was never an accident. Theo Foley took over and it was bye bye Al not long after!
I'm sure your'e right about the terrace Reams, I don't remember it ever being covered.
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Post by reamsofverse on Oct 8, 2009 20:40:15 GMT
Not doubting reddyfreeddy here but I have to say I agree with you EssexAl it was huge, I can't believe that the stand there today was as wide as the terrace so I think that as a result the pitch in them days was partially in the car park that we have today.
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Post by redrover on Oct 8, 2009 22:21:04 GMT
I think I can throw some light on this!
The stand Freddy has described was the old WEST stand. It had a distinctive four-pointed roof with C A F C.
There was never a stand on the old East Terrace - the current stand is the only stand there has been on that side of the ground.
The top half of the old East Terrace was demolished before the East Stand was built. When the old terrace was complete, it extended further backwards and upwards than the current East Stand. I remember climbing to the very top of the terrace in 1968/69. If you turned round away from the pitch you would be looking down on the houses below. That gives you an idea of how high it was.
To answer Ream's original question: the pitch in the fifties was in exactly the same place as it is now. Proof? When the old North Stand "the covered end" was demolished, the new north stand (what is now the lower North) was built on the same footprint. The old North stand was aligned with the pitch and the new North stand is aligned with the pitch. Therefore the pitch has not moved. QED!
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Post by reamsofverse on Oct 8, 2009 23:02:18 GMT
Thank you very much redrover that was as much a precise and informative answer that I have ever seen on here so cheers for taking the time to contribute, thanks to you reddyfreddy too not that I ever doubted you  Great to see how a thread on our history has given the likes of EssexAl and redrover an opportunity to contribute on the forum so it would be great to have your knowledge on here more often. Cheers fellas. |
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Post by reddyfreddy on Oct 9, 2009 8:35:16 GMT
I was of course referring to the old west stand when I mistakenly said east stand. The reasons for CAFE being as redrover stated. The initials C.A.F.C. being each given separate billing so it was always a joke that one day someone would climb up and put a line through centre of the end "C" making an "E".
But yeah the East was massive. You could sit on the wall at the back and look down at the game and it really was like looking at it from a low flying airplane.
Great views across Thames Barrier and London. Everybody had their regular spot though on that terrace and sometimes when there was a big crowd the task of trying to locate someone was based on where you knew other regulars stood. Walk along the main walkway that split the terrace halfway down, then find the aisle based on the regulars who stood on the corner of it, walk up/down the aisle to a row/certain amount of steps...see another familiar group, ease past them into the crowd...along two or however many crush barriers you've remembered and you're sorted!! Otherwise you'd never find your way back. I missed a few bloody goals looking at times! No feckin' stewards in those days that I can recall!! Sometimes get away supporters filtering through to the covered end or standing on the terrace trying not to be noticed and that would start a few punch-ups and cause sudden gaps to open up. They didn't know the drill. lol
But "big" it was and the north terrace was just as massive...shame you younger fans missed all that in some ways!
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optimist
Season Ticket Holder
Posts: 496
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Post by optimist on Oct 9, 2009 9:19:46 GMT
A trip down memory lane this! As the lads say, the pitch hasn't moved... I used to have my regular spot in that old East stand... Past the half way line, towards the Jimmy Seed end... Going to the bogs, which were right at the top, to the right of the stand, was when it hit home how massive The Valley was.... It used to give me goose bumps imagining how it would be full... Reddy’s right you’d notice the regulars as you walked to your reserved spot.. Mine was just passed the “Flask family” … Well that’s what my mates & I used to call them. Thought it was funny at the time, I‘m one myself now!  |
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Post by reddyfreddy on Oct 9, 2009 10:26:56 GMT
A trip down memory lane this! As the lads say, the pitch hasn't moved... I used to have my regular spot in that old East stand... Past the half way line, towards the Jimmy Seed end... Going to the bogs, which were right at the top, to the right of the stand, was when it hit home how massive The Valley was.... It used to give me goose bumps imagining how it would be full... Reddy’s right you’d notice the regulars as you walked to your reserved spot.. Mine was just passed the “Flask family” … Well that’s what my mates & I used to call them. Thought it was funny at the time, I‘m one myself now! Optimist me ol' mucker, wondering when you'd drop by  Well I haven't yet joined the flask hot drink fraternity but I'll admit to a small Coca Cola bottle filled half/half with coke & Jack Daniels is the nearest to my own refreshment I occasionally imbibe. That's why I don't remember who scored come late the second half |
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Post by WillieD on Oct 9, 2009 12:06:05 GMT
Reams. I asked that question back in 98 when we were invited for a big reunion and the old man was still alive.
The pitch hasn't move at all I was told. I seem to remember there were 2 car parks as you entered through the gates. One directly to the right where the players parked and then the one that is there now. Must have just been that I was 5 years old at the time and everything looked a lot bigger.
Ahh, the memories
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Post by WillieD on Oct 9, 2009 12:11:27 GMT
As a footnote to the Huddersfield game and that reunion. They had the ball used as Johnny Summers son has it as Sr. scored a hatrick that day. Has to be the best comeback game ever in the world of football.
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Post by charlton4ever on Oct 9, 2009 15:57:57 GMT
My dear old Dad always stood exactly in the centre of the East Terrace and got the arse when TV was there and he had to move - remember that old scaffolding they would erect! (with the removal type vans at the top).
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